Christmas Shopping
by LegacyChick
Summary: As every year, Cody refuses to go Christmas-Shopping with Randy until the older man snaps. What he does not know, is that Randy has his reasons for dragging him along. Reasons he will certainly like. Warning: Slash, Swearing and lots of Fluff


**Actually, this story came to me a week ago when I went Christmas-Shopping by myself, or rather when I decided to buy some things that could go through as Christmas presents, since I'm one of the few people on planet earth who don't give a damn about that specific holiday of the year. Don't sue me for it, please.**

**Since it's been the lovely RISTA's b-day two days ago (and as I'm posting this after midnight, it's already three days past), I decided to dedicate it to her. (doesn't mean others aren't allowed to R&R though :p) Happy belated B-Day again, girl!**

**Pairing: Candy**

**Warning: Swearing and lots of Fluff**

**Disclaimer: I own my muses, my insanity and all the mistakes made in this story since it's unbeta'ed again. All other rights belong to McMahon. Greedy bastard!**

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A whine echoed through the else quiet, festively decorated house, young Cody Rhodes reluctantly being pulled off the couch by his elder lover. "Randy! You know how much I hate Christmas Shopping. Why can't you go alone?"

Every year they had the same discussion and every year Randy gave up in the end and went on the shopping trip by himself with only a list of things to buy for Cody's relatives. Everyone who knew the couple would have thought Randy as the Christmas-Grinch and Cody as the cheerful little fairy, and in fact it was exactly like that. Only when it came to the task of buying presents, their roles were reversed.

Randy loved looking for stuff to not only treat his family with but also his friends, himself and most of all, his lover. He could spend hours and hours just staring at shiny, expensive and flamboyant things before taking out his credit card and often ending up buying all of it and more.

Cody, however, hated the decisions to make: which perfume suited Teil the best, which scarf would look best on his mother, which watch his father would like the best. He was not made for those things and he certainly was not made for waiting endless hours in an overly crowded mall, in-between hysteric kids and frustrated dads as well as over-excited moms.

"Codes! Don't make me MAKE you come!" The smirk forming on the young brunette's graceful lips –at the sexual innuendo- faded again as he saw the seriousness and growing frustration in his lover's eyes. "Every FUCKING year you manage to wriggle out of it and each FUCKING time you don't seem to give a DAMN that you ruin my gladly very seldom cheerful Christmas-spirit with it!"

"I… I didn't know." It was the truth. He had never realized that his constant bitching, whining and clawing before each years Christmas-Shopping hurt the older man, that it had such an affect on him. "Yeah, well… Now you do know. Now get fucking dressed so we can leave!"

Eyes filling with tears, Cody only managed to nod his head before choking out a shaky "Okay". The anger in his lover's voice, the clear venom in his words and the coldness in those else so soft, warm grays, had made him well aware of how big of a selfish brick he had been over the past three years, of how much his selfishness had hurt Randy. Still, the obvious frustration, the hate in the elder mans voice had stung, greatly.

Sprinting upstairs and scrambling to get on some fitting winter-outfit, he already thought about something to make it up again. He was back down and ready to leave after only five minutes, black gloves, winter-bonnet and scarf completing the thick coat and warm pants he was wearing as he grabbed a now seemingly calmer Randy's hand in his with an apologetic smile.

The older man had certainly relaxed again while waiting, a scarf the only winterly accessory he was wearing, as they walked out of their house and into the icy air of St. Louis, the softly whispered "I'm sorry" of the young brunette warming not only Randy's heart.

The drive into the city was short and quiet, Cody's eyes fixed on the snowy sidewalks and the sparkly, festively decorated windows, while his lover concentrated on the streets. The parking lot for the Mall was quite filled but not half as bad as on the weekends or in the afternoon. They walked together, Cody's hand instinctively reaching for the older man's while they headed for the huge building –half-afraid he might pull away and refuse to show him any affection for the rest of the day, especially in public. Surprisingly though, Randy returned the gesture, even squeezing the warm palm gently and sending the young brunette a faint smile.

In all honesty, he and Cody barely got the chance to spend a day together anymore ever since the Georgia-native had been drafted to Smackdown –sometimes they went a month without the chance to see each other- and Randy was not about to ruin their only 'vacation' together, before Christmas and ever since Thanksgiving, because of a silly fight. He loved his boy too much for it, and –even though he would never admit it to anyone- the little one had him wrapped around his little finger without even knowing it.

It took them a while to get to Randy's first destination, the younger mans already thin patience sinking even lower with every store his lover dragged him past, with every crying child they crossed, with every hectic guy who bumped into them in a hurry to get the shopping done as quickly as possible.

So it was no surprise when as soon as they got to the 'New Yorker', Cody plopped down on the first chair he saw with a huff while Randy started to explore the location for something for his sister and Samantha. Even though they had divorced two years ago, they were still friends, good friends, and presents for birthdays or other occasions were never turned down.

He quickly found what he had looked for, finding Cody fifteen minutes later in the exact same spot and same position he had left him in, a disappointed sigh escaping full, pink lips as he watched him get up again with crossed arms, pouting "Can we leave now again?" Even though he loved the young brunette with a passion even his parents never knew he had in him, he really wanted to strangle him sometimes, and not only in bed.

Thankfully, a growled "Codes" paired with a glare shut Cody up again, for then. With two bags in hand and his palm cradled around his young lover's neck –protectively, possessively almost- the two headed for a shoe-shop to get something for Dustin and Nathan.

The morning went by rather quickly, even though it seemed like an eternity for both men –out of different reasons. Cody felt out of place, moping, pouting, whining, doing pretty much everything to avoid picking presents, making decisions. That, in turn, did not only annoy his elder lover but it also frustrated him, mood dropping with each exaggerated sigh and unpleased groan from Cody's lips.

At one point, in 'Barney's', while Randy tried on some shirts for himself, Cody decided to change the tactic and sneaked inside his lovers locker with a smirk, startling the taller, more tanned male a little with a forced cough as he turned around to see what the noise had been. The gleam in the smaller mans eyes told him exactly what he planned on, brow arching as he looked him over from head to toe before shaking his head. "Codes… really?"

After three years together, Cody knew exactly when not to push his luck, sighing heavily before re-treating out of the locker again not just disappointed at Randy's rejection but also realizing what his behavior had really done. Even though he had agreed to accompany the older man to the shopping-spree and even though he had known how much his constant bickering those past Christmas' had hurt Randy, he had done nothing to show him how sorry he was. He had only made it worth with each passing second of their shopping-trip.

It took them –or rather, Randy- a good three hours to buy every present he had had on his list, everything they needed and still, Randy stopped at another store abruptly, a move that made Cody almost bump into him. Full of hope that they could finally leave and he would get a chance to show Randy his sincere gratefulness for not killing him yet, Cody huffed at the suddenly very still figure in front of him. "I thought we're done?" Whiny, cranky, sighed – a tone that would have usually made Randy snap, or at least madden a little, but instead he smiled, contently, happily, almost goofy.

Yet, it took Cody a while until realizing the reason, eyes widening as he recognized the shop they had stopped at as something dawned on him, and he almost choked on his own words. "Is this… Why… Why are we here?"

Randy turned back around fully, facing the stunned brunette as he gaped at the taller man open-mouthed and with rapidly blinking ebony lashes, confused, questioning, dumbfounded, a silly grin forming on his lips. Placing his palms on either side of Cody's tensing body, he shrugged, tongue snaking out to wet his lips before opening them to speak. "Cause it's the only store in St. Louis that sells wedding-bands."

Cody had already wondered why they had driven all the way to the city when there was a mall just a few miles away from their house, but he had not dared to question his older lover, not with the mood he had been in. He was trying to process what Randy had just said, trying to form some coherent thoughts, trying to get some words out but failed completely, eyes scrunched together in concentration, teeth chewing nervously on his plump, pouty lips.

Randy's smirk widened at his reaction, seeing his young lover stunned, awing, completely silent the first time ever since they had met many years ago, and it certainly made him a little proud that it had been his doing to make the smaller brunette speechless. "I… but… are… Are you proposing to me?"

A low, rumbling chuckle made it to his ears as Randy slowly leaned forward until their foreheads touched, thumbs massaging the prominent hipbones of his lover, barely whispered, hushed words making it past his lips, almost inaudible to Cody's ears as he was still in some sort of a dazed dream. "If that is what you want… I thought you might want to pick them out yourself. You're soooo much better at this kind of stuff."

The sarcasm in the last sentence did not go unnoticed by the Georgia-native, lips twitching up in a beaming smile as the situation finally registered, a rather surprising squeal escaping him –one that made the masses around them turn to questioningly face the happy couple just in time to see Cody jump into his older lovers arms, clinging onto him as he kissed him passionately. The repeatedly whispered "I love you"s certainly the sweetest words paired with the most beautiful sounds Randy had heard all day long, ever since suggesting the shopping-trip in the morning.

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**Hope you enjoyed it?**


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